Bluff Hammock boardwalk in the Kissimmee section of the Florida Trail. This section follows the river north to its sources around the Orlando metro area.

Written by

A.C. Shilton
| Special to The News-Press

Those familiar with it call the Florida Trail the state's "best kept secret."

For miles and miles, the National Scenic Trail, which bisects the Sunshine State, is absolutely deserted. Even just minutes before you reach the southern terminus of the 1,400-mile trail, you're unlikely to see anyone. In fact, on the Florida Trail it's possible to go days at a time without any human interaction - your feet providing the rhythm to a soundtrack of nothing but swamp songs.